Best Rates
Barclays Raises Rates by Up to 88bp as March Mortgage Repricing Continues — Best Deals Still Available
Barclays became the latest lender to announce major increases, with 2-year fixes rising 88bp since February. We update our best-buy tables across all LTV tiers and identify where value remains.
Barclays Joins the Repricing Wave
Barclays has raised rates across its entire residential mortgage range effective 25 March, with increases of 0.15% on the latest move — but the cumulative impact since February is far larger. Their 2-year fix at 75% LTV has risen from 3.78% to 4.66%, a total increase of 88 basis points in just six weeks.
Notably, Barclays also increased their tracker rates — something most lenders have avoided. Their 2-year tracker at 75% LTV now sits at base + 1.36% (4.11%), up from base + 0.80% (3.55%) in February. This narrows the tracker-vs-fixed gap that had been one of the most striking features of the March market.
Updated Best Buy Rates: 25 March 2026
Purchase — 75% LTV (Low Fee)
| Product | Lender | Rate | Monthly Cost (£250k/25yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Year Fixed | Barclays | 4.66% | £1,414 |
| 5-Year Fixed | Nationwide | 4.75% | £1,428 |
| 2-Year Tracker | Barclays | 4.11% (BoE+1.36%) | £1,329 |
| 5-Year Tracker | Nationwide | 4.14% (BoE+0.39%) | £1,334 |
Remortgage — 60% LTV (Low Fee)
| Product | Lender | Rate | Monthly Cost (£250k/25yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Year Fixed | Nationwide | 4.55% | £1,397 |
| 5-Year Fixed | NatWest | 4.69% | £1,419 |
| 2-Year Tracker | Barclays | 4.01% (BoE+1.26%) | £1,314 |
| 5-Year Tracker | Nationwide | 4.04% (BoE+0.29%) | £1,318 |
The High LTV Pain Point
First-time buyers at 90–95% LTV are feeling the squeeze most acutely:
- 90% LTV 2-year fix: best rate around 5.15% (was ~4.4% in February)
- 95% LTV 2-year fix: best rate around 5.45% (was ~4.8% in February)
On a £200,000 mortgage at 95% LTV, the monthly payment difference between February and today is approximately £75–£85 per month. Over a 2-year fixed term, that adds up to nearly £2,000 in additional interest costs.
Where Value Remains
Nationwide remortgage trackers stand out. At base + 0.29% (currently 4.04%) for 60% LTV, their remortgage tracker is exceptionally competitive and carries the advantage of penalty-free exit if you want to switch to a fix later.
NatWest 5-year fixes offer good long-term certainty. At 4.69–4.80% depending on LTV, locking for five years protects against both further rate rises and the uncertainty around the 2027–2028 rate outlook.
Halifax product transfers — if you are already with Halifax, their retention rates are often 15–25bp below new business pricing. Always check your product transfer options before shopping the open market.
What Happens Next
Santander, Halifax, and Lloyds are all expected to reprice in the coming days. If swap rates remain above 4.1%, we would expect 2-year fixes to settle in the 4.6–5.2% range across major lenders — with HSBC at the expensive end and NatWest/Barclays at the competitive end.